R&R please! Sorry this one took so long; I've been doing the make-up tests/projects/quizzes from when I was out for surgery and stuff. I wasn't rushing on any account; i'd been hoping for a second review on that last chapter.


They had made good time and gotten to the Gathering Ground with only 4 days of travel; but that had been planned on, because they'd have to be three days early to intercept Halt now that he was in charge, and had to be there first.

First thing when they set up camp, Halt tossed Sandy a long-bow.

"Show me what you can do," Halt said, giving the boy an arrow and pointing to a tree some fifty metres away. Doubt flashed across Sandy's face, but he knocked the arrow.

Sandy closed his eyes. In his mind, he envisioned the archers below the window, in their stance, nailing targets a good 75 metres away. He pictured the boy who practised farthest from the window, and moved his feet to where the archer's had been. He turned his body, pulled back, and opened his eyes. On a sudden impulse, he released tension and unknocked the arrow, moving it to the wrong side of the string, and moved the bow to it's side, so the arrow was resting on top with his arm. He dropped to a kneel, and pulled back. The different muscles that were involved in pulling like this resulted in a full draw, and he pictured a line in space connecting with the tree trunk. He moved the bow to match the path, and released. It took him approximately 20 seconds.

The arrow whistled, and thudded into a dead log behind the tree, missing it by half a centimetre. All together, an amazing shot.

"Rubbish!" Halt declared hotly. "Some first year apprentice you are! Can't even shoot a bow from the proper position! And, more over, cannot even hit at only fifty meters!" Sandy flinched, taken aback. He thought the distance had been quite far, and the shot quite good. Especially for only his second time shooting a real bow.

"Halt," Will said softly. "He's been my apprentice as of this morning." Halt spun and fixed him with an astonished stare.

"One day? ONE?" Halt responded, momentarily letting his emotions master him. The surprise on his face was all too evident.

"Yes, one... More like half of one, really... And I think that is quite an interesting stance," Will said. "You don't have to rise as tall and make so much of yourself a target for an enemy. Sort of like a crossbow, but quicker to reload and more accurate."

The surprise faded from Halt's face as he considered Will's words.

"It wouldn't work well deep in the woods; too much space is needed..." Halt said.

"But for areas where you're shooting from behind, say, a palace wall, it would be ideal. Theoretically, only your head would have to show to shoot," Gilan threw in, taking the longbow from Sandy and hauling him to his feet.

"Do I get a bow?" Sandy asked, looking at the Rangers.

"Yes; a recurve... you will in a week or so," Will said.

"Actually, Rodger is graduating to a longbow this Gathering," Halt said. "He can have that recurve."

"I suppose," Will said with a shrug, trying not to smile at the excitement in Sandy's eyes.

"But for now," Halt said, "we have matters to discuss. Let's set out and get a camp-fire going, shall we?" He turned and walked to the other end of the Gathering Ground, where the shelter had been set up and their tents were pitched, three traditional green tents and Sandy's odd blue tent (naturally the only one Alis could find to steal was something odd like blue).

Will knelt by the fire ring, and got out his flint and steel and struck up a fire as the others Gilan got out a bag of coffee beans and Sandy found a pot in a bag. Halt got out a large water bag and filled the pot and put it to boil over the fire, and Sandy grabbed out 4 mugs and they all sat down together around the fire.

"So, what's up?" Will asked, settling back against a log.

"So, as you well know," Halt said, shifting into a more comfortable position. "King Duncan is in battle in the Eastern Steppes fighting a war that should prevent raiders from interfering for future reference."

Sandy looked up in surprise; he hadn't heard anything about King Duncan being away.

"Of course," Halt added to Sandy's unspoken question, "He hasn't wanted to make it public in-case it makes the kingdom vulnerable in some form or another not having a king on the country's soil." Sandy nodded, and got up and took care of making coffee.

"And what does this have to do with anything...?" Will prodded.

"Baron Giligan of Biurman fief died two days ago," Halt continued. "A new Baron took his place named Notsmark. He's very corrupt; he's put in place illegal taxes and has been abusing the citizens."

"Who's the Ranger of Biurman? Thomas, is it? Can't he deal with this? He's more than capable," Gilan put in.

"Thomas is getting old," Halt said, shaking his head. "He was, in fact, hoping to be retiring next year. But, this may be a good experience for an apprentice to have under his belt; dealing with what ought to be a simple, political matter." He looked at Will now, and accepted a cup of coffee from Sandy with a word of thanks.

"Brilliant," Gilan said. "Can I come too?"

"If you'd like," Halt nodded. "I'm going as well; being cooped up in castle Araluen is driving me insane. Crowley promised to cover for me while we were taking care of this."

"Good. When do we leave?" Will held his mug of coffee patiently as Sandy passed him a jar of honey.

"After the Gathering; it wouldn't do to not be here, and we simply must get the boy the equipment," Halt said. Will nodded, and Sandy sat up straighter.

"So what all do I get?" he said, trying to keep the excitement from his voice and failing miserably. Halt smiled slightly.

"You get two knives," Halt said, unbuckling his double knife scabbard. "You will get a Saxe and a throwing knife," he said, pulling each out as he said the name. He threw the throwing knife at the rock some ten meters away, wedging it in the crease between earth and stone. "You'll get a recurve bow, and simply brown oak arrows." He flicked an arrow out of his quiver, and tapped the shaft. "This'll be brown, not black. You'll get your own to dye or make when you get the longbow."

"Cool," Sandy said, eyes wide.

"You'll also get one of the cloaks, and a scabbard. And hunting boots," Halt said, looking at the boy's shabby old boots with some slight disdain. "Proper ones." Sandy blushed.

"So I don't get my cloak?" he asked, fingering the crimson fabric.

"No. You look like a Little Red Robin with a Hood. Little Red Robin Hood," Halt responded.

Will nudged him in the ribs. "That's what I said!"

"Fill up my mug again, would you Robin Hood?" Gilan said jokingly, passing the mug.

"Robin Hood," Sandy said thoughtfully, topping off his mug. "You know, I rather like that."

"Robin it is!" Will said, bumping Sandy jokingly with his shoulder. Sandy grinned, and passed Gilan back his mug.